From the age of 16, Manik had a love for Hardhouse, purchasing a pair of Technics turntables at age 19, and writing and producing his own music soon after. Gaining influence from UK producers such as Paul Maddox, Dom Sweeten and Paul Janes, Manik's natural talent for DJ’ing and music production has lead him to become one of New Zealand's most well known hard dance producers.
Manik started his own label 'Radioactive Recordings' in 2006, and released the massive hit, ‘Lucid’ along with ‘Bad Girls’. Along the way Manik has had collaborations with some of the biggest names in Hardhouse including Ben Stevens, Adam M, Future Resonance, Dramatik and Jody 6 and has had a wide range of solo releases on various labels. After a successful first LIVE set, he then began promoting ‘Meltdown’ in 2008 which has gone from strength to strength and has now become New Zealand’s leading proper hard house event. With 12 consecutive sold out parties, the goal of Meltdown is to deliver the unique proper sound of Hardhouse to the New Zealand massive. Meltdown is renowned for selecting quality local DJs with Manik’s LIVE sometimes feat. MC D-Tox acts being the headline, off and on with strictly vinyl only events!
Worldwide recognition has also begun as he won the Killerhurtz 'Luvd Up' remix comp in January 2010 (gaining rave reviews from the scene leaders in the UK). In December 2009 he released his first album Meltdown Quarantine on Fevah Records, which received the prestigious Hard Dance Album of the month in the world's premier dance music magazine Mixmag.
‘Meltdown: Quarantine’ brings together some of the finest Hardhouse tracks from one of New Zealand's most innovative dance producers. This explosive album features new tracks 'Lucid 2010' and 'Put It Down' along with a collection of some of Manik's best known dance floor anthems such as 'Sedate Me' and a remix of ‘Inside Your Mind'. (Available on Track It Down.net)’
2010 was a total whirlwind for Manik, not content on causing hard house mayhem here in NZ, he toured Australia twice played in Brisbane & Melbourne with the first trip promoting his 3 Track EP for Renewable NRG (AUS) and second trip with MC-Dtox.
Releases worthy of noting would be Toolbox Records (UK) - "Fiendish Behavior" & funky collab with Miro, "Hypnotise". 'Relocate', ‘Obey’ and ‘Get Up’ on Ballistik Recordings,‘Waz ‘n Spaz’ on Vicious Circle and his collab with Adam M, ‘Anarchy’ on Fireball. With plenty of new tracks coming out on various labels it's a wonder he's got time to get himself from the studio into a club!!
2011 has landed and things are full on for the Meltdown brand. Meltdown Records is launching in March and the first release ‘Roll the Dice’ should show what meltdown records is all about. Meltdown’s 3rd Birthday – CONTAMINATION is just around the corner on the 7th May 2011. Stay tuned!